The Assignments
by SorasKey
Summary: A young man suddenly burst into the room, clearly out of breath. He pitched over, resting his hands on his skinny knees. It looked like he had ran the entire way there. His once perfectly coiffed, dark hair was a ruffled mess. She could hear her mother's disappointed tsk echo in her head. [SnowbarryWeek2017]


Disclaimer: I do not own _The Flash_ (2014) in any way.

* * *

 ** _Day 1._**

Catherine Tannhauser-Snow was not most mothers. She did not help her only daughter pack, she did not pass down her prized pearl necklace, she did not drive her to the Courthouse. No, she did not shed any tears on Assignment day. Instead she left a single card on the kitchen counter before she left for work.

"Don't forget to smile, dear. You don't want him running away on the first night." Was scrawled in perfect cursive across the white cardstock. Caitlin Snow threw the card into the trash on her way to the bus stop. Her light pink dress fluttered in the breeze. A single suitcase drug soundlessly behind her.

Caitlin arrived at the Courthouse early and was immediately ushered into the waiting room for processing. Young men and women filed in and out, all getting married within minutes and sent on their way. She patiently waited her turn, reading a book on advanced genetics as the minutes ticked by. She didn't dare search the room for her potential husband, no matter how much she wanted to. _It's not polite to stare_ , she reminded herself.

"Snow, Caitlin." A stern voice broke her concentration. Caitlin snapped her head up to realize she was the only one left in the uncomfortable leather chairs. A small woman wrapped in purple satin and tortoise shell glasses sat in a booth on the far side of the room. _This is it_ , she thought, _my mother is right. There's no one for me and I'm never going to get away from her._

The woman standing behind the glass window cleared her throat, causing Caitlin to spring into action. She quickly approached the booth, nervously patting down her hair as she went. "Is there a problem?" She timidly asked.

"Your Assignment is late and we're afraid you'll have to—"

"Wait! I'm here!" A young man suddenly burst into the room, clearly out of breath. He pitched over, resting his hands on his skinny knees. It looked like he had ran the entire way there. His once perfectly coiffed, dark hair was a ruffled mess, as was his white button-up and black tie.

Caitlin couldn't help but look over his lanky body as he gathered his breath. His thin jacket hung in a wrinkled mess over his shoulders. She could hear her mother's disappointed _tsk_ echo in her head. But when he finally stood up, towering over her, and locked his green eyes with hers she couldn't help but lose her breath. He made her feel so exposed in a matter of seconds.

She frowned.

"Sorry, I missed the bus—and, uh, hi." He drifted off, openly staring at her. "I'm Barry Allen." He offered a hand.

"Caitlin Snow." She nodded, turning towards the receptionist to escape his intense gaze.

"Well, it's your lucky day, Miss Snow." The receptionist deadpanned. "Your Assignment is Barry Allen. Please wait a moment while I grab your packet." She sent an icy glare at Barry, clearly not impressed with his tardiness.

"I'm so sorry. This is definitely not how I imagined today would go. Not that I imagined anything really. My friend, Iris, was Assigned last year and she told me not to be worried and I tried really hard not to be, but then I couldn't fall asleep last night and then I slept in past my alarm. So of course I missed the bus today of all days and now I look like a mess and this is not how I wanted to look in front of my Assignment. I mean we're about to be married and here I am late. You probably think I'm an ass, but I promise I'm a good guy and—"

Blotchy red spots covered his face and neck in embarrassment. "Barry." Caitlin cut him off. "Breathe."

"Sorry." The sound of the receptionist returning caught her attention, thankful for an excuse not to respond any further.

"I just need your signatures in the highlighted spaces. We'll have your records transferred in the next week. Here's your marriage packet. Inside you'll find..." She went on as Caitlin raised her shaky hand to sign on the dotted line. She almost dropped the pen on the last space, where she had to sign her new name: Caitlin Snow-Allen.

She watched as Barry bent over to sign his name next to hers. It was suddenly so real. She waited her entire life to be Assigned and after what happened with Ronnie, she never thought this day would come. It was in this moment she realized she wasn't ready.

Her hands trembled at her side and she knew Barry noticed. He shifted his weight to lean slightly against her in a comforting gesture as the receptionist continued to talk. She may not know the man standing next to her, but he was kind.

"Ready?" He whispered, tugging lightly on her wrist to get her attention. She looked up from her manicured nails to see the receptionist was no longer there and they were left by themselves. "If we leave now, we can make the next bus to our neighborhood."

"Sure." She exhaled, turning to retrieve her bag.

"Here, let me." Barry bent down to grab her bag, easily clipping it onto the back of his. "Lead the way." He nodded to the door and followed her outside.

* * *

The bus ride to the east side of the city was much shorter than the ride she had taken to the Courthouse from her mother's house uptown.

"I have friends who live in this neighborhood too." It didn't take long for Barry to learn he wasn't going to get much of a response from her and so he stopped trying, instead choosing to fill the silence with his own voice. It was a nervous tick that Caitlin knew she would have to get used to. She was raised to be seen, not heard. It was evident Barry had led aon entirely different life.

"This is it." He said once they made it the last few blocks to their house on foot. It was a modest two-story with white shutters and a matching fence. She could see a mint colored car in the driveway and a swing on the oak tree in the front yard for the child they would inevitably be required to conceive. She pushed the thought of their one-child-quota out of her mind as soon as it came. She didn't need any more of a reason to completely break down in front of the stranger she now called her husband.

Inside, the house was already furnished with the basic essentials. A single sofa and armchair in the den, a tea kettle in the kitchen, fresh linens in the master bedroom. Caitlin and Barry moved past one another silently as they took in their new home. Barry's smile never left his face as he explored each new room. Caitlin's small frown never left hers. The deeper she got into the house, the more closed in she felt. These were the rooms she was supposed to build a life in, raise a child in, grow old in. But as she looked at Barry from across the room, she wasn't sure what a life that would be.

* * *

Caitlin was keen on avoiding Barry for the rest of the day and Barry was keen on keeping Caitlin happy. He suppressed the urge to make conversation, catching on to the way Caitlin found comfort in the quiet. He watched her glide around the house, a small frown curving her mouth downwards as she straightened up.

"I just noticed you don't smile too much." He finally broke as he watched her pull out pre-stocked food from the refrigerator for dinner.

She paused, raising her eyes to meet his across the counter. Her solemn face remained unchanged as the gears shifted in her head.

"Now that I've been Assigned, my mother will probably never speak to me again and my husband is a complete stranger, I've never felt so alone." She shifted her gaze to her hands. "So, this blank expression kind of feels like the way to go."

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm not going to pretend I know you or what you've gone through, but I'm your husband now. I'm going to make sure you never feel that way again, Caitlin. You're not alone. I can promise you that." He reached out to place a comforting hand on hers. "Now how can I help?" He smiled and nodded at the food in front of her.

She shot him a brief upturn of the corner of her mouth, allowing him to help her.

* * *

"Have you seen the view yet, Caitlin? You can see the Capitol from here." Barry excitedly shared from his perch in front of the large windows in their master bedroom. He had gotten ready for bed early with that hope that giving Caitlin time to herself would allow her to figure out how they wanted to proceed with sleeping arrangements. There had been a layer of tension hovering over their shoulders as they ate dinner and the sky grew dark. Barry could tell Caitlin wasn't comfortable around him and he didn't want to make matters worse.

He could hear the faucet in the bathroom turn off and the door close as she entered the room, bringing a sense of dread with her.

"No, I haven't." Came her quiet reply. Barry took a deep breath, uncrossing his arms as he turned to face her.

His jaw nearly dropped for the second time that day when he saw her. Her face was wiped clean and glowed a faint pink from the warm water. Her hair was brushed out and laid in soft waves over her shoulders. A floral robe clung to her petite body.

Caitlin shivered in her silk robe, staring at her husband. She knew she was rather plain. She hoped that Barry didn't expect much. But this was part of the routine. There was no rule for this, much to her surprise. Their lives were so controlled already. Although it wasn't enforced, it was easier to get it over with as soon as possible. She pushed her shoulders back and dropped the robe to her feet to reveal the closet undergarments she had to real lingerie.

"Woah, Cait, what are you doing?" Barry immediately shielded his eyes and turned around. Caitlin was mortified.

"What do you mean 'what am I doing?' What do you think I'm doing?" Caitlin snapped, hastily pulling her robe back up and fastening it tightly around her waist.

"Caitlin, I never meant to imply that I had some kind of expectation for tonight. If I did, I'm sorry. We don't have to, uh, I don't want it to be like this for us. We don't have to live by their rules, we can set our own pace." Barry rambled on, still facing the window. He was thankful she couldn't see his red face.

"Barry, you can turn around." Caitlin whispered, moving to sit on the edge of their bed. Barry's shoulders sagged at the sight of her. She looked exhausted.

He sat next to her and nudged her shoulder with his. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

At those words, the dam behind Caitlin's eyes broke and she quickly hid her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, Barry. It's only been a few hours and I'm already a terrible wife."

"No, don't say that. There's a reason we were Assigned, I just know it. It'll be okay, don't cry." He rubbed soothing circles on her back.

Caitlin followed him easily as he leaned on the headboard. There was something about him that allowed her to be comforted. Maybe it was the soothing way he ran his long fingers through her hair, but she finally felt a small feeling of hope.

* * *

 ** _Day 7._**

Once the awkwardness of the first night faded away, they didn't waste time falling into a routine. Caitlin would make breakfast. Barry would kiss her cheek and leave for work. Caitlin would spend the day running errands and avoiding the housewives in her neighborhood. Barry would come home in time for dinner. The pair would sit on their porch and talk about their days.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

* * *

 ** _Day 21._**

They had developed a hesitant friendship by the third week. Caitlin had something to tell Barry and she could barely wait him to get home. She excitedly greeted him at the door the second he returned from work. She nearly leapt into his arms the moment he shut the door.

"Barry! I got it! I got the job!" She exclaimed. She had her eye this job since long before Assignment Day. It was one of the few personal details she had shared. She was always passionate about her schooling and her search for a job in bioengineering was all she thought about.

"That's amazing, Cait! I'm so proud of you." Barry congratulated, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame. Caitlin returned the hug.

"I didn't think this would happen for me, Barry." She took a deep breath before sharing her next thought. "My mother spent most of her time telling me I would never be successful and I should focus on other things. But I did it, Barry, I did it." She murmured the last few words as she locked eyes with his.

She could see the flecks of gold in his green eyes. She could feel the smooth planes of his body, pressed this close. She breathed in the lingering smell of his aftershave. Then something shifted between them. She wasn't sure who moved first, but the next thing she knew, Barry's lips were molded to hers. This was new. _It's okay, Cait. You can do this, you're allowed to enjoy this._ She arched her back, deepening the kiss. She gasped as she felt Barry move from her lips to pepper featherlight kisses across her face and down her neck. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in response, letting her head fall to the side to allow him easier access.

"She was wrong, Cait." He kissed her collarbone. "You're the smartest person I know." He nuzzled his nose in her neck. "I'm the luckiest man in the world." He gripped her waist tighter and leaned back to take in her flushed face. She looked beautiful with her lips thoroughly kissed. But what truly brought on his pause was the look on her face. She was smiling. At him. He couldn't help but grin down at her in response. He rested his forehead against hers.

"You're a kind man, Barry Allen." She whispered. She leaned up to press a quick kiss to his cheek before walking away before she did something stupid like kiss him again. "What would you like for dinner?"

Barry shook his head, happily following after her.

* * *

 ** _Day 26._**

Caitlin locked the car and walked up the driveway after her first day of work. She couldn't help but smile to herself. It was only a day and she knew she found where she belonged. She glanced up at the house where she knew Barry was waiting for her. _Weird how things can change so fast._

The front door swung open to reveal Barry dressed down in a sweater with an apron tied around his waist. It was adorable and she couldn't even enjoy it.

"Cait, you're home! How was your day?" He grinned.

"Hi, Barry." She quickly reached her husband and uncharacteristically placed a kiss on his lips where any passerby could see.

"Woah, must've been a great day." Barry pulled back, grinning. "Let's get you inside." He laughed, tugging her through the door.

* * *

 ** _Day 50._**

This was it. Almost two months in and she was going to be arrested for killing her husband.

"Please stop looking at me like this is your fault." Barry rasped before letting out a series of sneezes.

"Barry, you can't say this wasn't my fault. If it wasn't for me staying late at work, you wouldn't have had to walk home in the rain and you wouldn't be sick." She raised a hand to dab his clammy forehead with a damp cloth.

"Cait, it's not your fault I missed the last bus for the night. It's not exactly unheard of for me to miss the bus." He cracked a smile, hoping to cheer her up.

"I just hate to see you sick and there's nothing I can do to help."

"What do you mean?" Sneeze. "Nothing? You're nursing me back to health as we speak."

"Come on, Barry. I'm barely doing anything." Caitlin's gaze drifted to the sheets clinging to Barry's slim torso.

"Hey. Look at me." Barry grasped her hand. "I wouldn't want anyone else taking care of me and you know why, Cait?"

"Hm?" Caitlin avoided his eyes, shifting her gaze to make sure there was medicine and tissues on the nightstand.

"Because I was Assigned to the smartest, most beautiful woman in Central City. And I would trust her with my life." Barry's serious tone finally coaxed her to meet his intense stare.

She was halfway to kissing him when she was caught off guard with a sneeze in her face. _Well, at least Barry will have a chance even the score._

* * *

 ** _Day 78._**

"Barry?" Caitlin softly called as she walked into the bedroom.

"Yeah, Cait?" Barry peered over his reading glasses at her and rested his book on his chest. The sight before him shook him completely from the world he had escaped into. He was sure his jaw was dropped open in a poor imitation of the fish they had for dinner.

"Hi." She slowly approached the bed, wearing the same makeshift lingerie she had worn that first night.

"What's, uh, what's going on?" Barry placed the book on the nightstand and sat up straighter. His eyes traced down her body as she approached his side of the bed. He couldn't help but be drawn to her, like a moth to flame.

"I would hope I don't need to explain." She carefully removed his glasses and ran her hands through his hair, gently tugging him closer into a passionate kiss.

It was different than the short kisses they had been sharing more often lately. This time it took over all of their senses, egging each other on as they went. Barry instinctively gripped her waist and turned over, trapping her beneath him. He took his time to kiss a path down her neck. Caitlin eagerly responded as she pulled at Barry's shirt and pajama bottoms. It wasn't long before they were both completely exposed to each other's gaze.

"Wait, Barry, I have to tell you something." Caitlin gripped Barry's arms. Barry paused his kisses to stare into Caitlin's eyes. "Seventy-eight days ago I was the most scared I had ever been. My life was changing and I never thought I would be able to pursue my dreams and I would be stuck trying to please a man I would never like." She lovingly traced a thumb across his cheek. "But here I am and everything's changed. You are the kindest man I have ever met, Barry Allen. And I am proud to call you my husband. I lo—"

"Cait, you don't have to—"

"I love you." Barry worried that he had been inadvertently pushing her too far once again. But those words immediately washed away his fears. The sun couldn't outshine the grin that overtook his face.

"I love you too." He closed the gap between them once more.

* * *

 ** _Day 90._**

"We were strangers once." Barry mused one evening as they walked through the park.

Caitlin glanced up at him through her long eyelashes, both arms slung loosely around one of his. "What would you say we are now?"

"Soulmates."

"Oh, really?" She smiled to herself. "It's only been a few months, Barry."

"What? You don't think so? I think it's pretty amazing how far we've come in a few months. You got your dream job, I got my dream wife. I'd say life is perfect."

"Barry, you're incorrigible." Caitlin laughed, lightly slapping the arm she held.

"Really, Cait. This feels right. We were meant to be Assigned." Barry pulled her closer to place a kiss on the top of her head.

"You told me that on the day we met, remember?"

"And I meant it."

* * *

 ** _Day 652._**

"She's beautiful, Cait. She's perfect." Barry cried. He could barely hold himself up, he was already weak at the knees at the sight of his baby girl. Dark curls and light eyes, she was both of them wrapped together beautifully.

"Oh, Barry. She's finally here." Caitlin whispered as she placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead. She looked up to lock eyes with her husband, leaning up for a kiss.

"Thank you, sweetheart." Barry murmured against her lips.

"For what?" Caitlin's brow furrowed in confusion as she pulled away.

"For not leaving the Courthouse without me that day. For waiting for me and giving me a chance. I didn't know it at the time, but I can't live without you, Cait. And now I can't live without either of my girls. I love you so much." Caitlin beamed his words, closing the distance between their lips once more.

"Barry Allen, you are my soulmate."

* * *

This was my entry for day 2 of SimplySnowbarry's **Snowbarry Week 2017** challenge. This day's prompt was: arranged marriage. I must admit this one was a bit rushed, but I hope you enjoyed reading it!

As always, I would greatly appreciate it if you dropped a review and/or favorite.


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